





























Sj' .S 



5? 

K ' - c,* ; 

♦ 47 '%£> o 

^ _„ * o^y & * 

' . . ’ ' J « 6 ' O • ”* * -A 

* * ^ O ’ « 1 ‘ c A 'o c 0 » <? „. <£> 

' v* . o ° .-t ,'<s$$x>*:. ■%• 

. 7 - 

' A 

V . vL^'* c 

* <y> K<s * * 4? o k/ jSS \\r * 

X v <> -0’ o 'o. »- / 

.4* «iir^ ^ , 0 * *° <«> 



% ° w 

^ ,S> - 0 



„ >' % -.‘WV 

<\ *'T.»’ ,CT O. '• • ' A 

’*,•** ,0* ,• 'A!* V ^ o»"° 

-** /i\ < O V 

o ,0 Y , 

% » <K * 

S N»^ -0 “,4. ^/Jf-Z** _ N 

6 » ° -'0 * • ! ** O, 

. v 


-A* 

% *•■•• *0 
V c\ <0 V 



o V 


<L* *C* *A ^ ° iV ^J 

* * <0^ O > ^ ^ 

s ' ; u ^ '•’• <y % ^ V 

0 *- # -°' > v *\V% c\ <y **•<>. *; 

,£* -C. 7 *« l! viiPiv «* 'r jl s."i> > e? £ «• 










<V-* 










O 

* ^ a3^ * 

; ’•'o v 4 

o -lO *7 


0 'o, _ ® • » 

G° ,C^% °o 


ti. ,/< 



^•* ■>* \ £ 

• > 4 > „ s * • 



** 


*b V* 


°+ aO 

% ^ ,o v *y£~ 

*. %•_,$ 'jfrnA*. 



I- 

Pr°’ * 0 ^ • 
5 ° „ % 


> 


t • * V 

1 - O *i 

- W . 

. „„,,,_. J- 0 ^ ’. 

o * * o - 

°^ *•••• A° 

%■'’?_ <£% f) V _ T * O 


%. / ' 


* «£/> o 

fV&r-* 4.s ^ • 

* o v « 1 ' c * *o 

<* "f* C U *V,/?#bs~ j 

* ^ 

‘ o V 


0>** 

** %■ 






v *4* 

^ ^ 

<5> ff ' 9 

*> V v * 9 " 





■> 
















ULES of ORDER 


FOR 

SOCIETIES, CONVENTIONS, 
PUBLIC MEETINGS, 
AND LEGISLATIVE BODIES 


BY 


CHARLES M. SCANLAN, LL.B., 


Author of Law of Fraternities, Law of Church and 
Grave, Law of Hotels, Etc. 


THE M. H. WILTZIUS CO. 

Milwaukee, Wis. 
Publishers. 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two CoDies Received 

JliL 26 1906 

^Cru^ight Entry 
5 lass/£& XXc, No. 

/ l5~ / Cf > 0 

COPY B. 



Copyright, 1906, 

by 

Charles M. Scanlan 




PREFACE. 

Rules of order are not made by somebody 
and then applied; but they are laws established 
by long continued usage. In the absence of ‘a 
rule to fit a case, the presiding officer must 
make a ruling, which, if followed for a long 
time, may become a rule of order. Also, every 
society may adopt a set of rules of its own, 
which in fact become by-laws, and if reasonable 
and legal, will govern that society where they 
conflict with other rules of order. 

In parliamentary law, there is a want of uni¬ 
formity growing out of the legislation of socie¬ 
ties and the necessities of occasions. However, 
the tendency in this country is to follow the 
House of Representatives of the United States 
Congress. The main things to attain are order 
and expedition of business, and the rules govern 
best that secure these; but, for good reasons, 
dilatory motions and motions that will block 
business, for the purpose of securing freedom 
of speech and protecting the rights of the mi¬ 
nority, are to be found in the best devised sys¬ 
tem. Consequently, it is no easy task to pre¬ 
pare a full code of parliamentary law that will 
attain all the ends desired and please every¬ 
body. 

In preparing this manual, I have tried to 
give prominence to the rank and to the use of 
motions. These, and clearness, are some of the 
special merits that I claim for my work. 

Charles M. Scanlah. 

Milwaukee, May 10, 1906. 


SCANLAN’S 
RULES OF ORDER. 


Sec. 1. Motion, (Question. A motion is 

a proposition submitted to “The house” (con¬ 
vention, assembly, meeting, committee, etc.,) 
for its judgment and decision. All business 
should be brought before the house by a mo¬ 
tion, which is called the “principal. motion,” 
and after it has been put by the presiding offi¬ 
cer, it is the “main question.” The house has 
control of the question, and the mover can not 
withdraw it without leave. A question that has 
been carried is usually designated as an “or¬ 
der,” a “rule,” or an “act.” A society orders 
some thing done, makes rules and enacts by¬ 
laws. 

Motions are divided (1) as to rank, and (2) 

as to PRINCIPAL, SUBSIDIARY, PRIVILEGED, and 
INCIDENTAL. . 

Sec. 2. Rank of Motions* The rank of 
a motion is determined by the cause or neces- 


4 



sity giving rise to it. The word “rank” is used 
in its sense of relative grade, as the rank of an 
officer. While a question is before the house, 
a. motion of equal or lower rank can not be 
made, unless otherwise specified; but one of 
higher rank may be made. Those motions hav¬ 
ing “ 2 / 3 ” after them, require an affirmative 
(except “consideration of the question” re¬ 
quires a negative) vote of two-thirds, and all 
other motions require only a majority vote to 
pass them, unless the society has adopted some 
other rule. 

Motions in bold-faced type are debatable. 
Those in capitals, become debatable when de¬ 
batable motions are applied to them. For ex¬ 
ample, questions of privilege of the house or 
of a member, may have any motion below them, 
applied to them. To postpone to a certain 
time, is debatable on the question of postpone¬ 
ment only. The following are “main” ques¬ 
tions: To fix a time to which to adjourn, 
when no other question is before the house; To 
dissolve (adjourn sine die ); To receive, adopt, 
reject, or re-refer, the report of a committee; 
To rescind; To reconsider a. debatable que&- 
tion when no other question is before the house. 


5 


Motions Rank as Follows: 

1. Point of order. 

2. Appeal from ruling on disorder. 

3. Entry of motion to reconsider. 

4. To fix a time to which to adjourn 
when another question- is pending. 

To adjourn when time is fixed. 

To take recess when time is fixed. 

5. Question - of Privilege of the House 
Q. of Privilege of A Member. 
Reading of Papers. 

Withdrawal of a question. 

To suspend a rule, %. 

G. Orders of the day. 

To take up a question out of order, %. 
To make a special order of the day, % 
To limit a debate, %. 

Consideration of the question, % noes. 

7. To lay on the table. 

8. The previous question, %. 

9. Appeals from the chair, except “2”. 

10. To postpone to time certain (*). 
To commit (*). 

11. To amend (*). 

12. To postpone indefinitely (*). 

13. The principal motion. 

(*) May be amended. 


6 


Sec. III. SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS are those 
which may be made concerning a ques¬ 
tion, to-wit: 

To Suppress Action: 

1. Point of order. 

6. Objection to consideration, % noes. 

5. To withdraw a question. 

To Defer Action: 

7. To lay on the table. 

10. To postpone to a future time. 

10. To commit. 

To Expedite Business: 

5. To suspend a rule. %. 

6. To take up out of order. %. 

8. The previous question. %. 

6. To limit debate. %. 

When the Form of the question is Bad: 

11. To divide the question. 

10. To commit or recommit. 

When the question is unsatisfactory: 

11. To amend. 

To Avoid direct vote: 

12. To postpone indefinitely. 

When Reversal of Action is Desired: 

18. Reconsideration of question, “3”. 

13. To repeal. 

13. To expunge from the record. 


7 


Sec. 4. Privileged Questions. Ques¬ 
tions that effect the order, integrity or general 
welfare of the house, are privileged: that is a 
matter of business must give way to them. A 
speaker who has the floor may be interrupted a 
sufficient time to dispose of a “privileged ques¬ 
tion” that relates to order, or a “question of 
privilege,” or the orders of the day. The other 
privileged questions can not be considered 
while a member has the floor or during the 
taking of a vote, and depend wholly on.their 
rank. The following motions raise privileged 
questions: 

To fix a time to which to adjourn when 
another question is before the house. 

To take a recess, when time is fixed. 

To adjourn, when time is fixed. 

Question of order. 

Question of privilege of the house. 

Question of privilege of a member. 

Orders of the day. 

Sec. 5. Incidental Questions. Inci¬ 
dents occur in the transactions of a meeting, 
that require immediate action. Any question 
may raise one not forming an essential part of 


s 


it. Such questions are disposed of -on their 
appearance. Here are the principal ones: 

Appeal from the decision' of the chair. 

Entry of motion to reconsider. 

To suspend a rule. 

To obtain leave to read a paper. 

To have a paper read. 

Sec 6. How To Make A Motion. A mem¬ 
ber who desires to make a motion should stand 
and address the presiding officer, as “Mr. Chair¬ 
man/’ (“Grand Knight,” “Worthy Chief,” or 
by whatever name the presiding officer is desig¬ 
nated). Unless a member observes this rule, 
he is not entitled to notice,‘and he is out of 
order if he interrupts the meeting by talking or 
even standing. The presiding officer will recog¬ 
nize him by mentioning his name, as “Mr. 
Brown.” If the chairman does not know his 
name, he will designate the member who is en¬ 
titled to the floor by any applicable designation 
that will make known to the house who is 
recognized, as “the gentleman on my right,” 
“the gentleman from Fox County,” etc. Then 
the member will make his motion and imme¬ 
diately be seated. The ward-heelers’ circum¬ 
locution, such as, “I move you, now, sir,” “I 


o 


move this honorable body/ 5 “I move this 
house,” “1 beg leave to move the members,” 
etc., are bad forms. Meetings are held to do 
business, and plain, respectful, direct motions 
are by far the best forms. 

Sec. 7. Seconding Motions. A member 

need not wait to be recognized to second a. mo¬ 
tion. In fact he need not even rise for that 
purpose, but it is better to do so. This is a 
very important distinction between making and 
seconding motions. The following motions do 
not require a second: 

A question of order. 

Objection to consideration of a question. 

A call for the orders of the day. 

See. 8. Routine Work. The presiding of¬ 
ficer usually does not wait for a motion to be 
made in unimportant matters or routine work, 
when a vote is required; but assumes that a 
motion has been made, and says: “It has been 
moved and seconded that,” etc. If any one 
should raise the point of order that there is no 
motion before the house, there should be no 
vote taken unless a motion will be made and 
seconded. A good presiding officer expedites 
work under this rule. 


10 


Sec. 9. Putting The Question. The 

chairman should put the'question so as to con¬ 
vey the intent of the mover in good form and 
language, and the secretary should so take it 
down. The chairman is not obliged to state 
the motion in a bungling form as presented by 
the mover. If the mover is not satisfied with 
the way the chairman puts the motion, he 
should rise to a question of privilege and state 
the motion in the form that he wants it, or ask 
leave to withdraw it, or ask leave to put it in 
writing. 

As soon as the chairman states the motion, 
it is before the house. If it is a debatable 
question, it is ready for discussion. If it is not 
debatable, the chairman immediately puts it 
to a vote. No debate is proper before the ques¬ 
tion has been stated by the chairman. 

The chairman puts the question in substan¬ 
tially the following forms: “Those in favor of 
the motion will signify the same by saying aye,” 
or simply, “Those in favor of the motion, say 
aye.” And then after waiting long enough for 
all to vote, he says: “Those opposed to the 
motion, signify the same by saying no,” or sim¬ 
ply, “Those opposed, say no.” 

If the vote is close the chairman says, “The 


11 


ayes (or noes) appear to have it.” If a divi¬ 
sion of the house is called for or a standing 
vote asked for, it should be granted. If no 
such request is asked, the chairman announces 
that “The ayes have it,” or “The noes have it,” 
as the case may be. Up to the time that the 
negative is put, debatable questions are open 
for debate. Also, until the chairman has an¬ 
nounced the vote J a member may change his 
vote. 


Sec. 10. Debating A Question. Unless 

some other rule has been adopted, every mem¬ 
ber of a meeting has a right to be heard on a 
debatable question, not to exceed ten minutes. 
Xo member has a right to speak until he has 
been recognized by the presiding officer, nor 
has he the right to speak a second time until 
every other member who wants to speak, shall 
have been heard. The person making the mo¬ 
tion should be allowed to speak on the question 
first. The presiding officer should then recog¬ 
nize alternately those for #nd against the mo¬ 
tion. Also, every thing else being equal, he 
should recognize the most distant as frequently 
as the nearest, and the young as often as the 
old. Whenever there is a question before the 


12 


House that the presiding officer desires to sup¬ 
port or oppose, he should first call some one to 
preside in his stead. 

Sec. 11. Floor. When a. member has the 
floor, the only purposes for which he may he 
interrupted, are: 

A call to order. 

A call for the orders of the day. 

Objection to the consideration of the ques¬ 
tion. 

A question of privilege. 

Sec. 12. Secretary. The secretary should 
write, a note of every motion and its mover’s 
name, and when the motion is not in writing, 
he should take it down fully as stated by the 
chairman. All minutes should be written first 
on waste sheets that should be preserved until 
after the minutes are adopted and subsequently 
transcribed into the book kept for that pur¬ 
pose. All documents belonging to the files and 
records should be kept by the secretary, and 
when required to be read, be read by him. 

Sec. 13. Treasurer. The treasurer should 
receive no money without a written entry of 
the amount, the name of giver, and the pur¬ 
pose for which it was given; and he should pay 


13 


out no money only as appropriated, and then 
he must take and keep a voucher (receipt or 
order) therefor. This rule cannot be violated 
without great danger of the treasurer’s being 
accused of dishonesty, although his only fault 
may be incompetency. 

Sec. 14. Member’s Duty. Every member 
is in law and honor bound to observe order and 
be respectful to the- presiding officer and the 
other members. No personal matters that oc¬ 
curred outside of the meeting can be discussed; 
nor can personalities be used in the meeting. 
A member who violates this rule is “out of or¬ 
der,” and any member can call him to order 
through the chairman. When a member is 
called to order, he should instantly quit talking 
until the presiding officer rules whether he was 
out of order or not. If the chairman rules that 
he was not out of order, he may continue his 
speech; but if the chairman rules that the 
member was out of order, he can not proceed 
to speak without the consent of the house. If 
the member is not satisfied with the decision 
of the chair, he may appeal to the house. Any 
one who habitually violates this rule is only fit 
for a mob, and sufficient force may be used to 


14 


put him out of the meeting. Also, he may he 
arrested for disturbing the meeting. 

.Sec. 15. Quorum. Unless there is some¬ 
thing in the articles of organization that pro¬ 
vides how many shall constitute a quorum, 
there is no rule governing the subject. If any 
notice of the meeting is required-, it must he 
given with strictness, and then those who at¬ 
tend the meeting constitute a quorum. 

Explanation of Motions, alphabetically 
arranged. 

Sec. 16. Adjourn. A motion to adjourn is 
always in order, excepting when a member is 
speaking, a vote being taken or a similar motion 
has just been defeated. It cannot be debated, 
amended or reconsidered, except in the single 
. instance when it would dissolve the meeting 
(see “Dissolve”). If a motion to adjourn is 
defeated, there must be some intervening busi¬ 
ness done before the chair will entertain an¬ 
other motion to adjourn. The motion should 
state whether the adjournment is “to the time 
already fixed,” or “to six o’clock to-morrow,” 
or “sine die/' and the presiding officer should 
put the question in its proper form. 


15 


Form: “1 move that this meeting do now 
adjourn.” 

Sec. 17. Adopt. A motion to adopt is ap¬ 
plied only to a resolution after it has been read, 
or a report after it has been received. A com¬ 
mon error is to use the word “accept” instead 
of “receive” or “adopt.” 

Form: “I move that the resolution be 

adopted.” 

Sec. 18. Amendment. This motion is 
subject to all the motions on a main question. 
If an amendment is laid on the table, it tabes 
with it the main question. A question may be 
amended by “adding,” “striking out,” “substi¬ 
tuting,” or “dividing the question.” However, 
the amendment must be relevant to the main 
question. Two independent amendments can¬ 
not be pending at one time. 

Forms: “I move to amend the question by 
striking out the words ‘when the work is fin¬ 
ished/ where they occur in the second line.” 

“I move to amend by striking out the word 
‘six* and inserting the word ‘ten/ before the 
word ‘dollars/ ” 

“I move to amend the resolution by striking 


16 


out the second paragraph and substituting the 
following(give in full). 

Sec. 19. Amendment of* an Amendment. 

An amendment to an amendment is subject to 
all the motions of the ordinary amendment, 
excepting that it cannot be amended. If the 
amendment is not satisfactory it should be 
voted down and then another amendment to 
the amendment may be made. The amendment 
to an amendment must be put before the 
amendment to the main question. If the mo¬ 
tion is carried, the chairman then puts the 
amendment as amended; and if that motion is 
carried, he puts.the question as amended. 

Form : “I move to amend the amendment by 
striking out the words “ten dollars’.” 

Sec. 20. Amendment of Rules. This is 
a main question and its only peculiarity is that 
it requires a two-thirds vote to carry it. How¬ 
ever, it must be borne in the mind that only 
the legislative body having the power to make 
rules, has the power to amend them. The mo¬ 
tion should be very definite. 

Form: “I move to amend Sec. 2, of Article 
5, of the rules, by inserting after the period in 


17 


the fourth line, the sentence: ‘All dues must 
be paid to the financial secretary/ ” 

Sec. 21. Appeals from “The Chair”* 

An appeal may be taken from any decision (or 
ruling) of the chairman, to the house, and it 
is in order when a member has the floor. An 
appeal cannot be amended, and if it relates to 
the indecorum of a. member, or the priority of 
business, or is taken when the previous ques¬ 
tion is pending, it is undebatable; otherwise 
it is a debatable question, on which one speech 
from each member is permissible. When de¬ 
batable it is subject to the m )tions of the first 
eight ranks. On a tie vote, the decision of the 
chair is sustained. An appeal must be seconded. 

Forms: Member: ‘‘I appeal from the deci¬ 
sion of the chair/’ 

Chairman: “All who are in favor of sus¬ 
taining the decision of the chair, say ‘aye/ 
(Pause.) Those opposed, ‘no/ ” 

Sec. 22. Commit. This motion may be ap¬ 
plied to any principal motion, and during its 
discussion the main question may be debated. 
It can be made when a motion to amend is be¬ 
fore the house. Also, it can be amended. This 
is a “rank” exception. When it is desirable to 


18 


refer a matter to a committee, the number of 
the committee and by whom appointed may be 
included in the motion. Unless the motion 
provides for the appointment of a committee, 
or a subsequent motion does, the house has the 
right to name the members of the committee. 

Forms: 1st member. “I move that the mat¬ 
ter be referred to the committee on claims,” or 
“I move that the question be referred to a com¬ 
mittee consisting of one member from each 
lodge, to be appointed by the chairman.” 

2d member: “I move to amend by adding 
the words ‘and that the committee be empow¬ 
ered to settle all claims and report thereon at 
our next meeting/ ” 

Sec. 23. Committees. Usually there are 
standing committees whose duty it is to care¬ 
fully examine into and report to the meeting 
upon all matters referred to them. When there 
is a matter that does not seem to fall within the 
functions of one of the standing committees, a 
special committee is appointed to examine into 
and report upon the matter. All important 
matters ought to be reported in writing. The 
chairman of the committee or some member 
appointed for the purpose, should present the 
report to the meeting. When the committee 

19 


has finished its work, it is ready to report as 
soon as the meeting is ready to receive the re¬ 
port. Usually the chairman calls for the re¬ 
ports of committees. If the chairman calls for 
the report, there is no need for any motion to 
receive the report; but if the report has not 
been called for as soon as a committee is ready 
to report, a motion may be made that the re¬ 
port of the committee be received. A common 
mistake is to move that the report of the com¬ 
mittee be “accepted.” The word “accept” 
should not be used. After the report of the 
committee has been made, either orally or in 
writing, it has been received by the meeting 
and is ready for adoption or rejection as a main 
question, and a motion to adopt is then in or¬ 
der, unless there has been some other subsidiary 
motion made. The report cannot be debated 
until a debatable motion has been made 
concerning it. If the committee cannot 
agree, those who can agree upon a report should 
sign it. The one signed by a majority of the 
committee will be designated the “Majority Re¬ 
port,” and any other reports will be minority 
reports. If all agree to a report it is sufficient 
for the chairman only to sign it. 


20 


Forms: Member: “I move that the report of 
the Committee on Rules be now received.” 

Chairman of Committee: “The Committee 
on Rules reports as follows:” (Report). 

Member: “I move that the report of the 
committee be adopted.” 

Sec. 24. Committee of the Whole. When 
freer discussion of a question than can be had 
in an open meeting is required, or it seems de¬ 
sirable to keep no record of the proceedings in 
the minutes, a meeting usually resolves itself 
into a committee of the whole, thus preventing 
the committee’s proceedings from becoming a 
part of the minutes of the meeting. The secre¬ 
tary of the meeting acts as secretary of the com¬ 
mittee of the whole, .and keeps minutes for the 
committee Only, but must carefully keep any 
proceeding before the committee out of the 
minutes of the meeting. Whatever the com¬ 
mittee of the whole reports to the house is put 
into the minutes of the meeting. 

When a motion to refer a matter to a “com¬ 
mittee of the whole” is carried, the chairman 
calls some member to the chair, who should be 
addressed as “chairman” during the committee 
proceedings, no matter by what title the regular 


21 


chairman is known. The chairman takes a 
place as a member of the body. The manner of 
business before the committee is similar to that 
of the meeting. When the committee is ready 
to report, a motion to rise is in order, and if 
carried, the chairman of the meeting resumes 
the chair and the chairman of the committee 
takes his former place in the meeting, and re¬ 
ports the proceedings of the committee to the 
meeting. 

Forms. Member: “I move that this meeting 
resolve itself into a committee of the whole to 
consider the question. 7 ’ 

Chairman: “It is moved that this meeting 
now go into a committee of the whole to con¬ 
sider the question before the house 77 (state 
the question if it is not pending). 

Member: “I move that this committee do 
now rise. 77 

Sec. 25. Consideration of the Question. 

When a main question is proposed, if there is 
doubt as to whether it is worth taking up the 
time of the meeting, or there is some other good 
reason why it should not be considered, any 
member may have the question of its considera¬ 
tion determined before any further action is 
taken on it; but not after debate has begun nor 


22 


after a. subsidiary question relating to it has 
been considered. Motions of the first five ranks 
are the only ones that have precedence ever it. 
It does not require a second, cannot be debated, 
and a two-thirds “no” vote is required to pre¬ 
vent consideration of a question. 

Forms. Member: “I raise the question of 
the consideration of the question.” 

Chairman: “Will the meeting consider the 
question ? Those in favor,” etc. 

Sec. 20. Dissolve. This motion usually is 
in the form to “adjourn sine die although 
sometimes it is in the ordinary form to “ad¬ 
journ.” The motion is in order only when the 
organization has completed its work and is 
ready to disband not to meet again with the 
same members, as at the end of a session of the 
legislature, a political convention, or a mass- 
meeting. The motion to dissolve is a main 
question and debatable. The fact that it is 
made in the simple form to adjourn, does not 
give it privileged rank. It would be best if the 
chairman would .put the motion in its correct 
form. 

Forms. Member: “I move that this meeting 


adjourn sine die ” or “I move that this meeting 
do now dissolve.” 

Chairman: “It is moved that this meeting 
do now dissolve.” 

Sec. 27. Division of the Question. See 

“Amendment.” 

Sec. 28. Entry of Motion. See “Recon¬ 
sideration.^ 

Sec. 29. Extending Limits of Debate. 

This motion may be made when another ques¬ 
tion is before the house, and even when another 
member has the floor. It is not debatable, and 
requires a two-third vote to carry it. 

Form: “I move that the time allowed for 
each speech on the pending question, be ex¬ 
tended to 20 minutes.” 

Sec. 30. Filling Blanks. Often resolu¬ 
tions are introduced or motions made with 
blanks purposely left to be filled by the meet¬ 
ing, such as sums of money, dates, time, etc. 
Where several different amounts, or different 
dates, or different extents of time, are sug¬ 
gested, the chairman usually first, puts the larg¬ 
est amount, the most distant date, and the 
longest time. There are no formal motions 

24 


made^ but the members suggest what they con¬ 
sider appropriate. If a formal motion were to 
be entertained; each suggestion would have to 
be voted upon as made, which would defeat the 
object of the rule. If no motion thereto is 
made; the blank is filled by the assent of the 
meeting. A member who is not satisfied with 
suggestions or afraid that a wrong one may be 
adopted; should make a motion to cover his 
idea. 

Forms: "I suggest $100.” 

“1 propose that we fix the time at one year.” 

Sec. 31. Fixing the Time to which to 

Adjourn. This motion has all of the charac¬ 
teristics of a main question; excepting that it 
is not debatable if made when another motion 
is before the meeting. It may be made at any 
time when there is another question before the 
house except one of the first three ranks. Also, 
it may be made while a member has the floor; 
but it cannot interrupt the taking of a vote. 
The presiding officer should see that this motion 
is not overlooked. When there will be several 
sessions of an organization; the hours of its 
meeting and adjourning should be fixed before 
taking up business. :5 


25 


Form: “I move that when this meeting ad¬ 
journs, it adjourn until ten o’clock to-morrow 
morning.” 

Sec. 32. Leave to Speak after being 
Called to Order. This motion is not debatable, 
cannot be amended, and may be made only 
when a debatable question is before the house. 
If there is no> objection, a member may con¬ 
tinue his speech; but if any one objects, the 
motion is necessary. 

Forms. Chairman: “If there is no objec¬ 
tion, the member may finish his speech.” 

Member: “I object.” 

Member: “I move that the gentleman be al¬ 
lowed to continue his speech.” 

Sec. 33. Lay oil the Table. This motion 
is neither debatable nor amendable, and an 
affirmative vote cannot be reconsidered. It 
stands in the seventh rank before the house. 
The main object is to pass the matter to which 
the motion applies, without taking any other 
action thereon. Tabling the main question car¬ 
ries all subsidiary motions with it; also, tabling 
an amendment carries the main question with 
it. 


2G 


Form: “I move that the matter he laid on 
the table.” 

Sec. 34. Limiting Debate. This motion 
requires a two-third affirmative vote and is not 
debatable when any debatable question is be¬ 
fore the house. It may come up as a main 
question; but as it abridges free speech, the 
two-third rule applies to it. 

Form: “I move that the discussion of the 
question before the house, be limited to one 
hour.” 

Sec. 35. Objection to Consideration of 

a Question. See “Consideration.” 

Sec. 36. Orders of the Day. When some 
matter has been set for a particular hour of the 
day, any member may rise when the time comes 
and. call the matter up. It is not debatable, 
cannot be amended, does not require a second, 
and may be made when another member has 
the floor. The chairman may proceed with the 
orders of the day without motion. 

Forms. Member: “I call for the orders of 
the day.” 

Chairman: “Will the meeting now proceed 
with the orders of the day?” 


27 


Sec. 37. Point of Order. This question 
arises from disorder in the hall or from taking 
up business out of its fixed order or from irreg¬ 
ularity in the proceedings, and is not debatable 
nor subject to any other motion when it relates 
to indecorum or priority; otherwise, every 
member may speak on it once, and a motion to 
lay on the table, the previous question, or any 
motion of the first or second rank, applies to it. 
It is the duty of every member of a meeting to 
see that it is orderly conducted and that its 
business is done both according to law and the 
rules of the organization. A point of order 
must be raised immediately at the proper time 
or else it is waived. As every member who 
takes part in the proceedings is bound thereby 
unless he objects at the proper time, this rule 
should be diligently used. However, before a 
member rises, he should know that his point of 
order is good. A “riser” is one who frequently 
raises points of order and is not sustained half 
the times. 

Forms: Member: “I rise to a point of or¬ 
der.” 

Chairman: “The gentleman will state his 
point of order.” 

Member: “The motion is contrary to Arti- 
28 


cle 2 of our constitution,” or “The gentleman 
used the words ‘yellow dog/ in reference to a 
brother.” 

Chairman: “The point of order is well 
taken.” 

Sec. 38. Postpone to a Certain Time. This 
motion allows debate on the question to post¬ 
pone, but not on the merits of the main ques¬ 
tion. It is subject to motions to amend. 

Form: “I move that the matter be post¬ 
poned until the next meeting.” 

Sec. 39. Postpone Indefinitely. This mo¬ 
tion cannot be amended, but otherwise it is 
subject to all the motions of a debatable ques¬ 
tion and discussion. If carried the matter to 
which it refers, can only be brought before the 
meeting after other business has been done, 
and on an entirely new motion. In some or¬ 
ganizations, the matter cannot be taken up 
again during the session without general con¬ 
sent. 

Form: “I move that the matter be indefi¬ 
nitely postponed.” 

Sec. 40. Previous (Question. This motion 
is intended to close debate on a debatable ques- 


29 


tion before the house, and requires a two-thirds 
affirmative vote. It cannot be amended nor 
debated. If it is carried, all discussion ceases, 
and the question before the house is then put 
to a vote. 

Forms. Member: “I move the previous 
question/ 7 or “I move that debate be now 

closed. 77 

Chairman: “It is moved that debate now 
close and a vote be taken on the question. 77 

Sec. 41. Questions of Order. See “Point 
of Order. 77 

Sec. 42. Questions ot Privilege. Ques¬ 
tions of privilege grow out of charges of dis¬ 
honor, disorder, or dishonesty against a mem¬ 
ber or the house. In the first instance a mem¬ 
ber simply makes a statement of the matter and 
the chairman makes a ruling as to whether it 
is privileged, from which an appeal may be 
taken. If no motion is made concerning the 
matter, it is passed as a mere incident. If the 
chairman rules that the matter is a question of 
privilege, a vote of censure, a vote of confidence, 
or a motion to appoint a committee to investi¬ 
gate and report upon the matter, is in order. 
On any of these motions the question is debat- 


30 


able the same as the main question and is sub¬ 
ject to subsidiary motions. 

Forms. Member: “I rise to a question of 
privilege of the house,” or “I rise to a question 
of personal privilege.” 

Chairman : “State the question.” 

Member: “It has been charged that bribes 
have been used in this house,” or “I am 
charged,” etc., or “In anger I said,” etc. 

. Chairman: “The matter raises a question of 
privilege.” 


Sec. 43. Reading of Papers. It is the 

privilege of a member to ask that “the ques¬ 
tion” be read, or to ask that a paper be read, or 
to ask leave to read a paper directly concerning 
the matter before the house. Leave to read a 
paper is not debatable nor amendable. 

Forms. Member: “I ask that the question he 
read,” or “I call for the reading of the ques¬ 
tion.” “I ask the privilege to read a commu¬ 
nication from the Governor of the State.” 

Chairman: “If there is no objection, the 
gentleman may read the communication.” 

Member: “I object.” 

Member: “I move that leave be granted to 
Mr. Jones to read the communication.” 


31 


Sec. 44. Recess. This motion is in the na¬ 
ture of a motion to adjourn when the time is 
fixed, and ranks with it. When the time has 
not been fixed for a recess, the motion must 
include the time and it becomes a motion of 
the tenth rank. 

Forms: “I move that we take recess.” 

“I move that this meeting take a recess for 
one hour.” 

“I move that at 12 o’clock the meeting take 
a recess until 2 P. M.” 

Sec. 45. Receive Report. See “Commit¬ 
tee.” 

Sec. 46. Reconsider The motion to re¬ 
consider opens the main question to debate, if 
is is a debatable question; otherwise, not. But 
it cannot be amended nor reconsidered. The 
motion can be made and entered in the record 
when another member has the floor, but cannot 
be discussed when there is another question be¬ 
fore the house. It is so important and so highly 
privileged that a motion to reconsider a ques¬ 
tion may be entered in the minutes when a mo¬ 
tion to adjourn is before the house. The mo¬ 
tion must be made during the meeting at 
which the original vote was taken, and by some 


32 


one who voted on the prevailing side. If the 
motion is lost, the question to which it applied 
is entirely disposed of and not subject to any 
other or further motion. 

The following four motions cannot be recon¬ 
sidered : 

1. To adjourn; 

2. To lay on the table when decided in the 

affirmative; 

3. To suspend rules; 

4. To reconsider. 

Forms. Member: “I ask to have a motion 
to reconsider (state what it is) entered in the 
record.” 

“I move to reconsider the question of,” etc. 

Sec. 47. Remit. The motion to remit is a 
main question, and applies to tines or punish¬ 
ment. Remission is a bad practice, unless an 
error has been made in the facts or the punish¬ 
ment is too severe for the offense. It has a 
tendency to destroy discipline. 

Form: “I move that the tine imposed upon 
brother Paul Doe be remitted.” 

Sec. 48. Rescind. After a question has 
been carried, which for good reasons should 
not have been passed, and the time for making 


33 


a motion to reconsider has expired, a motion to 
rescind is in order if the motion does not impair 
the obligation of a contract. It is a main ques¬ 
tion and should require a two-thirds vote. If 
it impairs the obligation of a contract it can not 
be rescinded. 

Forms: “I move that the resolution concern¬ 
ing the purchase of a hall he rescinded.” 

“I move to rescind the resolution censuring 
Brother Hugh Capet.” 

Sec. 49. Resolutions. In large conven¬ 
tions and public bodies which should act with 
caution and precision, all resolutions should be 
in writing and referred to the committee on 
resolutions without being read. The best talent 
and learning of a deliberative bod}- should be on 
this committee. All resolutions should be pre¬ 
served as referred to the committee and if any 
change is necessary the resolution should be re¬ 
written on other paper. The committee has no 
right to mutilate a resolution and present it 
as Brother Sin’s. 

Forms. Member: “I desire to introduce a 
resolution.” 

Chairman: “The resolution is referred to 
the committee on resolutions, without reading.” 


34 


Report : “The Committee on Resolutions re¬ 
ports as follows: 

“Whereas, The public press has charged this 
convention with drunkenness and disorder/ 5 
etc. 

“Resolved, That, etc. 

“Resolved, That, etc. 

John Smith, 

Thomas Fox, 

Matt. Jones, 

Committee 

Member: “I move that the report of the 
Committee on Resolutions be adopted/ 5 

See. 50. Rising of the Committee. See 

“Committee of the Whole. 55 

See. 51. Rules. See “Amendment of/ 5 
“Suspension of. 55 

Sec. 52. Special Order. By a two-thirds 
vote any matter may be made a special order 
for a future time, and when the time arrives 
any member may call the matter up, and then 
it will be properly before the house. The ques¬ 
tion is not debatable and is in the nature of a 
motion to suspend a rule. 

Form: “I move that the purchase of a hall 


35 


be made a special order for nine o’clock to¬ 
morrow morning.” 

Sec. 53. Suspending the Rules. This 
question is not debatable, can not be amended 
nor reconsidered and requires a two-thirds 
affirmative vote. A body may suspend any rule 
that it has the power fr> make, but cannot sus¬ 
pend rules or by-laws unless within its power 
to make them or the by-laws provide for such 
suspension. 

Form: “I move that rule 3, requiring no¬ 
tice, be suspended.” 

Sec. 54. Take from the Table. A mo¬ 
tion to take a matter from the table cannot be 
debated nor amended, and an affirmative vote 
cannot be. reconsidered. Its principal use is to 
bring before the meeting business that has been 
previously postponed by laying it on the table. 

Form: “I move that we now take from the 
table the question of appropriating $100 for 
periodicals.” 

Sec. 55. Taking up Questions out of 
Order. A motion to consider a question out of 
its regular order, is not debatable, cannot be 
amended and requires a two-thirds affirmative 
vote. 


Form: “I move that we now take up the 
question of giving a picnic, which comes under 
the subsequent head of ‘New Business/ 

Sec. 56. Withdrawal of a Motion. After 

a motion has been placed before the house by 
the chairman, the house has control over it and 
it cannot be withdrawn, if there is any objec¬ 
tion, without leave of the house. When there 
is. objection, a motion to allow its withdrawal 
must be considered without debate or amend¬ 
ment and a majority vote is sufficient. 

Form: “I move that Mr. Jones be allowed 
to withdraw his motion.” 


37 





























































































































































* 
































# 









°o 


* \ y* 

A , 0 * O * 

v 4, ; -’3 ; ^Ci'. ^o* 


0 »° % V^Pf*' / o 
A 0' V *•■•• .«* V 


.0" r- * * °*■ '> V . VvO^n <- ~x. 





V4 






»: ^ s v 

'"W&fv® 1 * ■x > "% 

,♦ J? *U, -?W.* ■V <p 

<\ *«rr«* .&♦ <> '»••' ,<^ <^ * 

■V 0^ .V... " 0 .«> ««■., ^ 

r> -f> T \5 T>- 5> <• * r^ 

I; ^ i£j0&\ *6$ r'jjgifc*. *^0 < 

3f * < o * i$p$itJ?^S\/7 * 4 0 *r* * # * X O. ’ 

r v <1. 1 •'J* •> XK^IjVwNN^ B Jy ^ < -^^/‘' "‘ij£'‘? "* 

**/ V^‘>° \‘- -\/ .. A 

v o&fr V ->° A‘i> % ^ v v 

' '****% V/ :*fc W 


° ,V>V 

A* <C< o 





^ * -W- , c* * ~N n 0 ^ 

<p> c ' ’ <y % B * 0 a 0 ^ 

J> V , * * * r C\ ,<V *’ *°- 

^ 4? ♦ gM^ ' tf. <* * J 

vv ” /^EB^: 


° A ^ 

* V >N 





< * • • , 

A c°"°* .C 

-y^ e ‘js^s^\\<>,'' Co. c 

o V . - ^ o 




<y % 0N ° ^° 

* *• ypCvfl%?V «» "v*. .-■(/ > 

c *‘FM‘*i. $ .j 

- »r> % 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Oct. 2013 


V V* \ 


* o ^'MW * 

o A <r 

A r c o» 0(? ^ 

* O ^ . *P 


PreservationTechnologies 


A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 
111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-2111 

, 0 ’ , * *■ ■■■ -» o 

v.- j. f v? *i 




t 



0 




















































































